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Why Did 'iCarly' End? Answers to This and Your Other Burning Questions

It's hard to believe it's been five years since iCarly ended, but it's even harder to believe that it's ten years since the first episode aired! iCarly all started back in 2007, with "iPilot" being released on September 8th of that year. Just like that, we were introduced to web star Carly, her best-\ friends Sam and Freddie, and her crazy brother Spencer. From that moment on, our lives would never be the same. The show ran for an impressive seven seasons, and in that time we saw plenty of romantic drama between the three best friends, a slew of incredible guest stars (our faves include Emma Stone, One Direction, and obviously Michelle Obama), and even a crossover with Victorious!

We were pretty heartbroken when we watched "iGoodbye," and saw Carly leave Seattle and her web show behind her in order to live with her dad. There were definitely some questions we were left with after the finale, for example, would Carly and Freddie end up together? Might he end up with Sam instead? Did the gang ever reunite to make more hilarious videos? In addition to all of that, we also were asking ourselves: why did such an amazing show have to come to an end?

There were a few different rumors floating around. Some people said that the show wasn't getting good enough ratings; however, this was far from the truth. The last season had just nine episodes, but pulled in 3.87 million viewers! The show had plenty of critical acclaim as well. It was nominated for an Emmy for Outstanding Children's Program five times. So if it wasn't the ratings, why did the show end?

Why did iCarly end?

Well, we did some digging, and found a few answers. The main one is that the show's star, Miranda Cosgrove, was headed off to college. Although she was just 14 when the show started, by the time it was over she was done with high school and ready to head off to university! Miranda was a straight A student and accepted a place at University of Southern California to study the cinematic arts. In fact, soon after the show wrapped up, she revealed, "I went right into college after we shot the show." That proves that she seriously kept doing early for as long as she possibly could, before starting life as a USC student.

In addition, the cast had grown up a lot since the show started, and the time was right for them to move onto other projects. Luckily, we didn't have to say goodbye to all our favorite characters right away, because iCarly creator Dan Schneider made a spin-off show starring Carly's ham-loving accomplice, Sam. The new show, Sam & Cat, starred Jennette McCurdy and Ariana Grande, bringing together two of our favorite Nickelodeon characters from iCarly and Victorious to embark on new adventures as a mismatched pair who start a babysitting business. Sadly, despite incredible viewership, the show only lasted one season. There were rumors of a rift between Jennette and Ariana, and with both pursuing music careers and acting projects, the show sadly came to an end.

Is iCarly coming back?

While iCarly isn't getting another spin-off at the moment, you'll get to see Freddie on TV again! Nathan Kress is guest-starring on an upcoming episode of Game Shakers called "Game Shippers." He will finally debunk the central love triangle of the show — did Freddie love Carly or Sam? — as well as relive some of the most iconic iCarly moments. He will be playing himself. How very meta. In honor of the 10-year anniversary of the premiere, Nickelodeon will also run an iCarly marathon from September 4, 2017 through September 7, 2017 on TeenNick.

What is the iCarly cast doing now?

Now, some time has passed, and we wanted to find out what all the stars are up to now, so keep reading for updates. Most of the cast is still involved in the entertainment industry, in some form or another.

Carly from iCarly was played by Miranda Cosgrove. What is she doing now?

In addition to studying at USC, Miranda is still acting. Her biggest projects since her iCarly days have been the Despicable Me movies, where she voices Margo. She also starred in the horror film The Intruders with Austin Butler.

Sam from iCarly was played by Jennette McCurdy. What is she doing now?

Jennette has been killing it, starring in a bunch of movies and TV shows. One of her most famous projects is the Netflix series Between, which she has the starring role on. Oh, and she's still BFFs with Miranda Cosgrove. Their friendship is everything you want it to be and more.

Freddie from iCarly was played by Nathan Kress. What is he doing now?

You remember him as the nerdy kid across the hall who had a crush on Carly, but Nathan has done some serious growing up since iCarly. He's now married, and even has a baby on the way! Pretty much the whole cast showed up to his wedding, giving us the cutest reunion photos ever.

Spencer from iCarly was played by Jerry Trainor. What is he doing now?

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

He was Carly's artistic older brother, who's art projects made from some truly hilarious comedy. Since we all loved Spencer Shay so much on iCarly, we're pleased to announce that Jerry is still acting. Remember when he played Crazy Steve on Sam & Cat?

Gibby from iCarly was played by Noah Munck. What is he doing now?

(Photo Credit: Getty Images)

We all remember when little Gibby got big, but what's he up to now? Noah Munck is both an actor and musician, and you can catch him producing electronic music under the stage name NoxiK. He also has a recurring role on the sitcom The Goldbergs.

So there you have it, iCarly had a great run, and we're so pleased that the cast are still in touch, and all doing so well.

When did iCarly start?

The Nickelodeon series premiered on September 8, 2007 with the episode "iPilot." (Yes, that was a decade ago. You have permission to feel old.) In the premiere, the main characters decide to shart their own web show after Freddie accidentally uploads a video online of Carly and Sam joking about their English teacher.

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